Rail fastener



Y B. T. GIBBS RAIL FASTENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1945 RAIL FASTENER Filed Jan. 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 4 m r v A, 5,0 l 56' l b 6W If 4g 7; I

, aw-KL a 9 jun," L W4 Patented Feb. 5, 1946 RAIL FASTENER Benedict T. Gibbs, Santa Monica, Calif., assignor to Du-Wel Steel Products Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 6, 1943, Serial No. 471,416

10 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to a railway rail fastener of the compression or resilient fastening member type operative between the tie plate and rail of a usual railway track structure.

Objects of the invention reside in the provision of a novel and effective rail fastener of the above type which may be conveniently installed after the assembly of a track structure without necessitating lifting of the tie plates from the ties and without necessitating punching or cutting clearance openings in the ties; which provides for predeterminately limiting the compression of the resilient fastening member so that as installed the device functions ina standardized or contemplated manner without requiring judgment in its installation; which provides for laterally confining the rail with respect to the tie plate; which provides against loosening of the fastener in service; which provides for adequate surface engagement between the resilient fastening member and the rail flange and preferably in addition the tie plate; and which provides for the proper lateral positioning of the compressing bolt of the fastening member compressing means.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a partial transverse sectional view of a railway track'structure provided with the rail fastener of my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the resilient fastening member and compressing bolt of my invention in assembly;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional View substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the nut of the compressing means of my invention;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Figure 6 is a partial sectional view of the resilient fastening member of my invention substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the bolt of the compressing means of my invention; and

Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figure l and showing different modifications of my invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to '7, and particularly Figures 1 and 3, a usual railway track structure comprises a Wooden cross tie I embedded in a road bed not shown, a tie plate 2 having its lower surface 3 engaged downwardly on the tie and secured thereon in a usual manner as by one or more usual rail spikes 4, a track rail 5 of standard cross section including a relatively wide base 6 engaged downwardly on the upper surface 1 of the tie plate and comprising oppo- 55 sitely projecting transverse flanges 8 and 9' extending longitudinally of the rail.

As shown, the tie plate 2 is provided with an upwardly projecting rib H against which the edge of the flange 9 of the rail base 6 is engageable to laterally confine the rail in the corresponding direction, the head l3 of the spike 4 engaging downwardly on this flange for downwardly retaining the rail on this side.

The tie plate '2- is provided at the edge of the other flange 8 of the rail base 6 with a rectangular aperture l4 therethrough, and this aperture, extending downwardly from the upper surface I of the tie plate, has a side surface portion thereof facing in a direction transverse to the rail 5 and diverging downwardly and away from the axis of this aperture 01 opening and being thus downwardly undercut to provide a downwardly facing shoulder surface. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the downwardly undercut side surface I5 is remote from and faces toward the rail flange 8.

A fastening plate N3 of resilient material has opposite ends l1 and I8 thereof bent downwardly to form respectively spaced tie plate and rail flange engaging portions, and is thus spacedly engageable downwardly on the tie plate 2 and rail flange 8, as best shown in Figure 1, these downwardly bent-ends providing for substantial engagement of the corresponding end edge surfaces of the plate on the tie plate and rail flange for adequate surface engagement thereon.

An elongated tongue I9 is struck from metal of the fastening plate It extending longitudinally between the tie plate and rail flange engaging portions thereof and is bent facewise downwardly from the fastening plate and forms an opening therethrough. See particularly Figure 2. The tongue as struck has the secured end portion 2| thereof adjacent the rail flange end I8 of the fastening plate and wider than the other end 22 thereof and forming an intermediate shoulder formation 23 between said end portions, and resultantly, the opening 20 has the end portion 24 thereof, corresponding with the secured end portion 2| of the tongue, wider than the other end portion 25 of the opening and forming an intermediate shoulder formation 2-6 between these end portions, the shoulder formation 26 and the tongue I 9 defining opposite sides of a bolt opening 21 disposed intermediate the tie plate and rail engaging portions of the fastening plate.

A bolt 23 is provided at its lower end with a head 29 of rectangular cross section and at its pper end th an enlarged threaded portion 3|.

See particularly Figure 7. The bolt head 29 is engageable downwardly into the'tie plate opening I4 in non-rotational relation therewith and is disposable therein substantially above the lower face 3 of the tie plate, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and the bolt head is provided with a laterally projecting portion 32 at one side thereof having an upwardly facing shoulder surface 33 diverging downwardly and outwardly from the bolt axis and engageable upwardly against the tie plate opening shoulder surface I for securing the bolt with the tie plate when the bolt is laterally confined to maintain this shoulder engagement.

The bolt head 29 is inserted downwardly into the tie plate opening I4 while the bolt is inclined from the vertical in the direction in which the shoulder surface 33 faces, and after insertion of the bolt head the bolt is positioned upright to engage the shoulder surfaces 33 and I5, the portion of the bolt head opposite the shoulder surface 33 being inclined in general parallelism with the shoulder surface 33, as designated at 34, to provide clearance for the insertion of the bolt head.

The upper portion of the side of the bolt head 29 opposite that on which the lateral projection 32 and the shoulder surface 33 are disposed is provided with another lateral projection 35 having an upwardly facing shoulder surface 36 diverging downwardly and outwardly from the bolt axis in opposite relation with the divergence of the shoulder surface 33.

The fastening plate I5 is engaged downwardly on the bolt 28 with the threaded portion 3| of the bolt projecting upwardly through the bolt opening 27. The threaded portion of the bolt is of greater diameter than the width of the narrow portion 25 of the opening 20 and is thereby engageable at one side thereof laterally against the shoulder 28 to laterally position the bolt in one direction, and the tongue I9 is engageable laterally against the other side of the bolt to laterally position the bolt in the opposite direction, the bolt being thus maintained in upright position extending through the bolt opening 21.

As the fastening plate I6 is so engaged downwardly on the bolt 28, the tie plate and rail flange engaging ends I1 and I8 are respectively engaged downwardly respectively on the tie plate 2 and rail flange 8, and a nut 31 threadedly engaged on the threaded portion 3! of the bolt 28 above the fastening plate bears downwardly thereon to compress the fastening plate downwardly on the tie plate 2 and rail flange 8 to secure the same.

As shown in Figure 1, the tie plate shoulder surface I5 is remote from and faces toward the rail flange 8 and the tongue l9 engages between the bolt 28 and the edge of the rail flange 8, and the engaged inclined shoulder surfaces I5 and 33 of the tie plate opening and bolt head urge the bolt toward the rail flange 8 which urge is transmitted to the tongue, then to the rail base and finally to the tie plate rib I I by engagement of the edge of the rail flange 9 against the rib. Thus, not only is engagement of the inclined shoulder surface l5 and 33 maintained to secure the bolt downwardly on the tie plate, but the rail base is clamped laterally on the tie plate.

Also as shown in Figure 1, when the fastening plate I6 is compressed downwardly on the tie plate and rail flange '8, the lower-end of the tongue I9 engages or abuts downwardlyon the upper surface I of the tie plate and on the shoulder surface 36 of the bolt head, either of which abutment engagements serves to predeterminately limit the compression of the fastening plate, so that the fastening device functions in a standardized or contemplated manner without requiring judgment in its installation. The inclination of the shoulder surface 36 in opposite relation with that of the shoulder surface 33 of the bolt head furthers the lateral wedging action.

The lower surface of the nut 31 engaging the fastening plate I6 is provided with a diametrically or angularly arranged shoulder formation 38 projecting from this surface which is engageable in the opening 20 of the fastening plate I B to oppose backing off of the nut for the prevention of loosening of the device in service. See Figures 1, 4 and 5. The shoulder formation 38 is preferably of ratchet form, and the fastening plate is preferably provided on its upper surface with a recessed ratchet shoulder formation 33 arranged diametrically or angularly of the nut 37 and angularly spaced at ninety degrees from the opening 20 so that the ratchet engagements of the nut with the fastening plate occur at ninety degree intervals for correspondingly small ratchet position intervals of the nut.

Figure 8 illustrates another form of the invention identical with that of Figure 1, except that a fastening plate 4| corresponding with th fastening plate It of Figure l, is of slightly difierent form and has a tie plate engaging end 42 arranged substantially normal to the plane of the tie plate and has a rail flange engaging end 43 extending generally horizontally. Other parts of Figure 8 which are identical with those of Figure 1 are identified by the same reference characters.

Figure 9 illustrates another form of the invention differing from Figures 1 and 8 in that the bolt head and tie plate securing assembly thereof is reversed from that of Figures 1 and 8.

Referring to Figure 9, a tie plate 64 is provided with an upwardly projecting rib 45 against which the edge of a rail flange 46 of a rail base 41 of a track rail 48 is engaged to laterally confine the rail in the corresponding direction, the head 49 of a spike 5i engaging downwardly on this flange for downwardly retaining the rail on this side.

The tie plate 44 is provided at the edge of the other flange 52 of the rail base 41 with a rectangular aperture 53 therethrough, and this aperture has a side surface 54 thereof facing in a direction transverse to the rail 48 and diverging downwardly and away from the axis of this aperture or opening and being thus downwardly undercut to provide a downwardly facing shoulder surface. In the case of Figure 9, the downwardly undercut side surface 54 is adjacent and faces away from the rail flange 52.

A fastening plate 55 of resilient material has opposite ends 56 and 51 thereof bent downwardly to form respectively spaced tie plate and rail flange engaging portions, and is thus spacedly engageable downwardly on the tie plate 44 and rail flange 52. 7

An elongated tongu 58 is struck from metal of the fastening plate 55 extending longitudinally between the tie plate and flange engaging portions thereof and has the secured end 59 thereof adjacent the tie plate end 55, as distinguished from thesecured end 2| of the tongue IQ of the fastening plate l6 of Figure 1 being adjacent the rail flange engaging end it of the fastening plate.

In other respects the tongue 58 of Figure 9 is similar to the tongue I9 of Figure 1, the tongue 58 being bent facewise downwardly from the fastening plate 55 and forming an opening 6| therethrough provided with an intermediate shoulder formation 62, this shoulder formation and the tongue 58 defining opposite sides of a bolt opening 63 disposed intermediate the tie plate and rail flange engaging portions of the fastening plate.

A bolt 64, similar to the bolt 28 of Figure 1, is provided at its lower end with a head 65 of rectangular cross section and at its upper end with an enlarged threaded portion 66. The bolt head 65 is engageable downwardly into the tie plate opening 53 in non-rotational relation therewith and is disposable therein substantially above the lower face of the tie plate 44, and the bolt head is provided with a laterally projecting portion 61 at one side thereof having an upwardly facing shoulder surface 68 diverging downwardly and outwardly from the bolt axis and engageable upwardly against the tie plate opening shoulder surface 54 for securing the bolt with the tie plate when the bolt is laterally confined to maintain this shoulder engagement.

The upper portion of the side of the bolt head 65 opposite that on which the lateral projection 61 and the shoulder surface 68 are disposed is provided with another lateral projection 69 having an upwardly facing shoulder surface H diverging downwardly and outwardly from the bolt axis in opposite relation with the divergence of the shoulder surface 68.

Insertion of the bolt head 6'5 into the tie plate opening 53 and engagement of the shoulder surfaces 54 and 68 is the same as previously described with reference to the insertion of the bolt head 28 of Figure l, and the fastening plate 55 is engaged downwardly on the bolt 56 with the threaded portion 66 of the bolt projecting upwardly through the bolt opening 63. As the fastening plate is so engaged downwardly on the bolt 64, the tie plate and rail flange engaging ends 56 and 51 are engaged downwardly respectively on the tie plate 44 and rail flange 52, and a nut 12 threadedly engaged on the threaded portion 66 of the bolt 64 above the fastening plate bears downwardly thereon to compress the fastening plate downwardly on the tie plate 44 and rail flange 52 to secure the same.

As shown in Figure 9, the tie plate shoulder surface 54 is adjacent and faces away from the rail flange 52 and the tongue 58 projects into the tie plate opening 53 and engages between the bolt 64 and the side surface portion 13 of the tie plate opening 53 opposite the side surface shoulder portion 54 thereof to maintain engagement of the shoulder surfaces 54 and 68, and the diver ing shoulder surface H of the bolt head upwardly engages the tongue 58 and cooperates with the tongue to predeterminately limit compression of the fastening plate 55 and to urge the rail base 41 toward and to clamp the same against the rib 45 of the tie plate 44.

While I have thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details described, as changes may be readily made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following: I 4

1. In a rail fastener, the combination of a resilient fastening plate spacedly engageable downwardly on a tie plate and a rail flange supported on said tie plate, said fastening plate being provided with an elongated tongue struck from metal thereof extending longitudinally between its tie plate and flange engaging portions and bent facewise from the fastening plate and projecting downwardly therefrom and forming an opening therethrough, said tongue as struck and said opening each having the end portion thereof at the secured end of the tongue wider than the other end portion thereof and forming an intermediate shoulder formation between said end portions of said opening, compressing means operative to compress said fastening plate downwardly on said tie plate and flange and comprising a threaded bolt secured with said tie plate and of greater diameter than the narrow end portion of said opening and extending through the wide end portion thereof and laterally engage able with the shoulder formation of said opening and a nut threadedly engaged on said bolt above and bearing downwardly on said fastening plate, said tongue being laterally engageable with said bolt in opposing relation to engagement of said shoulder formation of the opening by said bolt, and compression limiting means operative to predeterminately limit the compression of said fastening plate by said compressing means and including said downwardly projecting tongue.

2. In a rail fastener, the combination of a tie plate having afastening opening extending downwardly from the upper face thereof and having a side surface portion of said opening facing in a direction transverse to a rail engaged on said plate downwardly undercut to provide a downwardly facing shoulder surface, a resilient fastening member spacedly engageable downwardly on said tie plate and'a flange of saidrail supported on the tie plate, said fastening plate being provided with a bolt opening therethrough intermediate its tie plate and flange engaging portions,

compressing means operative to compress said fastening member downwardly on said tie plate and flange comprising a threaded bolt extending upwardly through said opening and having a head insertable downwardly into said opening and disposable therein substantially above the lower face of the tie plate and provided with an upwardly facing shoulder surface at one side thereof engageable upwardly against said first mentioned shoulder surface and a nut threadedly engaged on said bolt above and bearing downwardly on said fastening member, and a down-- wardly projecting tongue on said fastening member laterally engaging said bolt at the side opposite said first mentioned side thereof for maintaining said shoulder engagement, and compression limiting means operative to predeterminately limit compression of said fastening member by said compressing means and including said tongue.

3. In a rail fastener, the combination of a tie plate having a fastening opening extending downwardly from the upper face thereof and having a side surface portion of said opening facing in a direction transverse to a rail engaged on said plate diverging downwardly and away from the axis of the opening to provide a downwardly facing shoulder surface, a resilient fastening platespacedly engageable downwardly on said tie plate and a flange of said rail supported on the tie plate, said fastening plate being provided with an elongated tongue struck from metal thereof extending longitudinally between its tie plate and flange engaging portions and bent facewise from the fastening plate and projecting downwardly therefrom and forming an opening therethrough, compressing means operative to compress said fastening member downwardly on said tie plate and flange comprising a threaded bolt extending upwardly through said fastening plate opening and having a head engageable downwardly into said tie plate opening and disposable therein substantially above the lower face of said tie plate and provided with a laterally projecting portion at one side thereof having an upwardly facing shoulder surface diverging downwardly and outwardly from the bolt axis and engageable upwardly against said tie plate opening shoulder surface and a nut threaded-ly engaged on said bolt above and bearing downwardly on said fastening plate, and said tongue laterally engaging said bolt at the side opposite said first mentioned side thereof for maintaining said shoulder engagement, and compression limiting means operative to predeterminately limit compression of said fastening plate by said compressing means including said tongue.

4. In a rail fastener, the combination as set forth in claim 2 and further characterized in that said bolt is provided with an upwardly facing shoulder on the side opposite said first mentioned side thereof and upwardly engageable against said tongue.

5. In a rail fastener, the. combination as set forth in claim 2' and further characterized in that said tongue engages downwardly on the upper surface of said tie plate.

6. In a rail fastener, the combination as set forth in claim 3 and further characterized in that said shoulder surface of said tie plate openin is remote from and faces toward said rail flange, and that said tongue engages between the adjacent edge of said rail flange and said bolt and downwardly on the upper surface of said tie plate.

7. In a rail fastener, the combination as set forth in claim 3 and further characterized in that said side surface shoulder portion of said tie plate opening is remote from and faces toward said rail flange, that said tongue engages between the adjacent edge of said rail flange and said bolt and downwardly on the upper surface of said tie plate, and that said bolt is provided on the side opposite said first mentioned side thereof with an upwardly facing shoulder upwardly engageable against said tongue.

8. In a rail fastener, the combination as set forth in claim 3 and further characterized in that said side surface shoulder portion of said tie plate opening is adjacent and faces away from said rail flange, that said tongue projects into said tie plate opening and engages between said bolt and the side surface portion of said tie plate opening opposite said side surface shoulder portion there. of, and that said bolt is provided on the side opposite said first mentioned side thereof with an upwardly facing shoulder diverging down wardly and away from the bolt axis in opposite relation with the divergence of said first mentioned shoulder surface of the bolt and upwardly engageable against said tongue.

9. A rail fastening member comprising a resilient fastening plate provided with spaced tie plate and rail flange engaging portions and an elongated tongue struck from metal of the fastoning plate extending longitudinally between said engaging portions and bent facewise from the fastening plate and forming an opening therethrough, said tongue as struck and said opening each having longitudinal portions thereof of different widths and an intermediate shoulder formation therebetween of which the shoulder formation of the opening is laterally engageable by a bolt of greater diameter than the width ofthe narrow portion of the opening and said bolt extending through the wide portion thereof.

10. A rail fastening member comprising a resilient fastening plate provided with spaced tie plate and rail flange engaging portions and an elongated tongue struck from metal of the fastening plate extending longitudinally between said engaging portions and bent facewise from the fastening plate and forming an opening therethrough, said tongue as struck and said opening each having the end portion thereof at the secured end of the tongue. wider than the other end portion thereof and forming an intermediate shoulder formation betwecn said end portions of said opening and of which the shoulder formation of the opening is laterally engageable by a bolt of greater diameter than the-narrow end portion of the opening and said bolt extending through the wide portion thereof, and said tongue being laterally engageable by said bolt in opposing relation to engagement of said shoulder formation of the opening by said bolt.

BENEDICT T. GIBBS. 

